The 20 best A24 films: Yorgos Lanthimos, Robert Eggers, Greta Gerwig and more
Pioneers of creativity and cinematic innovation, distributors A24 have brought some of the finest independent projects to the forefront of public view, with the company now ubiquitous with cinema’s most exciting arthouse releases. Inspired by the Italian A24 motorway company founder Daniel Katz was driving down on holiday, the iconic name has since become a desirable stamp of approval from a company that prides itself on funding “movies from a distinctive point of view”.
Their popularity grew to the extent that in 2016 they were able to not only distribute but also produce their very first project, in the Academy-Award winning Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins. In a contemporary industry that has seemingly forgotten the importance of low-budget filmmaking to innovate and question the fabric of cinema itself, where Disney may be the leader in the production of mainstream content, A24 are building an impressive library of truly challenging titles.
Omitting some truly challenging titles, our list of A24’s 20 greatest films was not an easy one to put together, omitting the likes of Ti West’s innovative horror movie X, David Lowery’s The Green Knight and David Michôd’s The Rover. It’s a testament to the prominence of cinema’s most exceptional contemporary production company that so many great films can be left off the list of their greatest ever achievements.
The 20 best films released by A24:
20. The Souvenir (Joanna Hogg, 2019)
Helping to lead a contingent of female filmmakers forging a distinct new voice in British cinema, Joanna Hogg joins the likes of Clio Barnard and Rose Glass at the forefront of national film. Her 2019 movie The Souvenir remains one of her very greatest releases, with the story following a young film student in the early 1980s who becomes romantically involved with a complicated man with questionable intentions.
With a glittering cast that includes the likes of Tilda Swinton, Tom Burke, Richard Ayoade and Honor Swinton Byrne, Hogg created a movie that swells with authentic romance and emotional characterisation.
19. The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015)
Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos argues that love is the mindless, confusing act of rubbing together two fleshy human bodies. Such is discussed in the subtext of Lanthimos’ popular yet surreal 2015 romantic drama from the cult creative figure.
With the likes of Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman, Léa Seydoux and Ben Whishaw leading the film, there’s no shortage of acting talent on display in this peculiar rom-com that follows the inhabitants of a hotel in which customers are forced to engage in relationships. Whilst Lanthimos’ film is a highly enjoyable ride, it speaks to a dark truth at the heart of modern life, in which love and companionship are seen as the ‘be-all and end-all’.
18. First Reformed (Paul Schrader, 2017)
A24 are fantastic at creating creative tales of visceral drama and poppy cinematic flair, and whilst Paul Schrader’s 2017 drama First Reformed is pumped full of dark, compelling storytelling, it is also an admittedly bleak ride. But, being bleak doesn’t equate to being bad; far from it, in fact, with the film following a church pastor who is struggling to come to terms with the devastating realities of modern living being a stirring emotional watch.
Led with real cinematic power by Ethan Hawke, who is joined by Amanda Seyfried and Cedric Antonio Kyles to form a tight cast, Schrader’s film is a gut-punch of a drama that swirls a smog of uncomfortable pessimism.
17. Red Rocket (Sean Baker, 2021)
Having made Tangerine in 2015, followed by The Florida Project and, most recently, Red Rocket, just how Baker has managed to avoid a Best Picture nomination is inexplicable. His latest film stars Simon Rex as Mikey Saber, a washed-up porn star who returns to his Texas hometown only to discover that no one wants him back. Captured in 16mm, just like his previous films, Red Rocket is a powerful, frenetic character study that keeps the director on a steady course of success.
Carefully dealing with a fragile American culture that sees the influence of online culture swell the egos of wannabe online sensations, Baker creates a fascinating analysis of life after the weight and shadow of Donald Trump.
16. Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2014)
Telling the story of an imprisoned A.I. humanoid who is hoping for a better life outside her limited space and her maniacal creator who holds a sinister hold over her life, Alex Garland’s modern sci-fi masterpiece is a thrilling drama that questions the morals of man-made consciousness better than most modern movies.
Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander, the film would boost Garland to new heights of popularity. Though Ex Machina may remain his finest modern work, he has continued to impress with such films as 2018s Annihilation as well as 2022s peculiar horror film, Men, that challenged the contemporary genre itself.
15. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2017)
One of the most exciting working directors, the Greek Yorgos Lanthimos, rose to prominence in the mid-2000s with 2009s provocative Dogtooth and Alps two years later. 2015 effort The Lobster would put him on the radar of cinephiles worldwide, though his follow-up, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, felt like a more compelling tale.
This dark and twisted tragedy follows a surgeon who is held hostage by a vengeful young boy, who forces the older man to make an unthinkable sacrifice. Grounding the film in a well-measured balance of fantasy, tragedy and farce, Lanthimos creates an unsettling modern parable that feels ripped from the pages of a biblical text. It’s a strange film that holds powerful, provocative energy.
14. The Lighthouse (Robert Eggers, 2019)
Adored by both critics and general audiences, it is the work of Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe in the lead roles of Robert Eggers’ 2019 movie that makes it such a charming piece of cinema. Told as if it was an old sea fable that had washed up on the banks of a deserted island, Eggers manages to bottle a specific tone that keeps The Lighthouse from stagnating as it engulfs the story of two lighthouse keepers who are trying to maintain their sanity in the 1890s.
Thanks to some nifty imagery captured within some beautiful monochrome cinematography, Eggers creates a dreamlike world that is a true marvel to explore and indulge in. Whilst his first film promised that he could be a special director, The Lighthouse later proved this fact.
13. Good Time (Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, 2017)
Before Josh and Benny Safdie made movie magic with Uncut Gems in 2019, the brotherly duo created a heist movie that subverted expectations and established their electrifying process of filmmaking. With Robert Pattinson at the helm, Good Time tells the story of a botched bank robbery that lands one of two brothers in prison, with the other embarking on a twisted odyssey through New York City to try and get him out.
Rough and ragged, Good Time is a story that calls back to the spontaneous experimentation of cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, with the film proving to be a significant piece of work in the modern independent landscape.
12. Saint Maud (Rose Glass, 2020)
A quiet character study with a loud and brutal excavation of faith, the tale of Saint Maud is the debut film from British filmmaker Rose Glass, an incredible entrance into the landscape of cinema that will leave you stunned in pensive reflection.
The central figure of Rose Glass’ biting film, Maud (Morfydd Clark), is a fragile skeleton and a pious nurse, God’s lonely woman, carrying out her medical duties whilst ‘saving souls’ in the process. Once she is assigned to her new patient Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), things start to change for the worse, however. “You must be the loneliest girl I’ve ever seen,” she utters to Maud, with loneliness permeating from the very root of the film, asking how an individual is supposed to identify with a world that fails to reciprocate any of your values. It’s a brutal but also heartbreaking contemporary horror classic.
11. Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham, 2018)
Having owned a YouTube account throughout his childhood, few people truly understand the construct of social media better than Bo Burnham, an individual who has long thrived under its wing. Whilst he dabbles in stand-up comedy and performance art outside of filmmaking, his 2018 movie remains one of the finest coming-of-age films of the 21st century, telling the story of Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher), a young girl struggling to grow up with the overbearing demands of social media.
With its finger on the pulse of online life, Eighth Grade captures the heartache and elation of young life and the puzzling shadow of social media to which children are inextricably tied.
10. The Farewell (Lulu Wang, 2019)
A charming gem of a drama, The Farewell from Lulu Wang is an exhilaratingly small movie that deals with the intricacies of the family dynamic, made up of multi-generational ideals. With Awkwafina, X Mayo and Shuzhen Zhao, the simple story follows a Chinese family who discovers their grandma only has a short time to live, prompting them to schedule a wedding so that they can all gather together before she dies.
Emotional without being saccharine, Wang well-balances the flavours of her film, creating a movie that is funny, charming and as inviting as some of the finest family dramas of all time.
9. Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018)
A game-changer when it comes to the contemporary horror genre, Ari Aster is another director with a slim filmography, but for whom a generous amount of praise is laden. 2018s Hereditary brought brains to the classic horror tale, with the story itself not too extraordinary, but the execution revolutionary.
Horrifically hopeless, dread is built upon within an intense hotbed of guilt, envy and regret with the help of fantastic performances across the board, specifically from Toni Collette. That car scene is, as a single entity, an example of horror at its very best. Aster’s follow-up Midsommar would cement his prominence in the contemporary horror genre, lacing his bleak narratives with strong subtextual emotion.
8. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt, 2019)
Describing her own films as “just glimpses of people passing through” in a 2014 interview with The Guardian, Kelly Reichardt has created a film of subtle beauty in First Cow.
The story follows a skilled cook who joins a group of fur trappers in Oregon, only to make any real connection with a Chinese immigrant seeking fortune, with the two splintering off to make their own successful business.
Reichardt is painstaking in making every detail of her films just right, and First Cow is no exception. Christopher Blauvelt’s camera work gives the necessary significance to the most minor action or object, which works perfectly with this script. The look of the film is augmented by a dreamy folk music-inspired score by novice composer William Tyler and a carefully naturalistic set design. It all makes for a two-hour feast of cinema.
7. The Florida Project (Sean Baker, 2017)
Slowly rising the ranks of the entertainment industry, Sean Baker has earned his salt in cinema, rewarded by his current status as one of the most compassionate and intuitive filmmakers working today. Crafting organic, sensitive stories that are not afraid to tackle contentious topics, Baker’s The Florida Project is his finest film to date.
Capturing the vibrant, saturated colour of the Florida heat, the film follows the life of a six-year-old named Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), who causes mischief in the local area whilst her mother has trouble looking after her. Set just outside the white walls of Walt Disney World, Baker creates a world in limbo for the young protagonist, caught between the realities of poverty and the fantasies of one of the world’s biggest businesses just next door. It’s a captivating journey.
6. The Witch (Robert Eggers, 2015)
Having only directed two feature films, following a trio of short film projects, it’s truly impressive to acknowledge how much of a following that filmmaker Robert Eggers has gained following 2015s The Witch and The Lighthouse starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.
Whilst The Lighthouse is certainly a modern great, it was The Witch that had the more considerable impact on contemporary cinema, particularly for the horror genre. Bringing traditional folk horror to the mainstream, Robert Eggers’ The Witch is a dreaded countryside fairy-tale, perpetuating solitary paranoia in 1630s New England.
Where folk tales of witches were once shot in muddy, cheap grain, Eggers adopts a sharp resolution with fantastic cinematography using natural light’s limitations. Dreadful in the best sense of the word.
5. Amy (Asif Kapadia, 2015)
Recently remembering the tenth anniversary of the tragic loss of Amy Winehouse, Asif Kapadia’s touching account of the life of the singer is an exemplary piece of filmmaking and the definitive text that sensitively breaks down the life of an icon.
A tragedy on the saddest of scales, Winehouse’s downfall is well known, though Kapadia rightly prefers to focus on her lesser-known uprising, the story of a humble singer finding success from the most unlikely beginnings. Her story is heartbreaking as it spirals out of control, though this is never sensationalised, her tale is bookended with grace and affection. Kapadia’s film makes up a trilogy of documentaries that each focus on an enigmatic icon in culture, joining 2010s Senna and 2019s Diego Maradona.
4. Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig, 2017)
A consistent theme with the films of A24 is their ability to either discover or elevate voices that would otherwise go unheard, and although Greta Gerwig was certainly finding success with screenplays for Frances Ha and Mistress America, it wasn’t until 2017s Lady Bird that she was truly recognised.
Gerwig’s Lady Bird is one of the greatest contemporary coming-of-age tales, following the artistic ‘Ladybird’ and her navigation through the end of high school in Sacramento, California. Delicate relationships form a heartbreaking tale of the adolescent transition in this palpable character study examining a parental relationship during such a time of change. Such a sensitive film would allow Gerwig to go on to adapt the classic American novel Little Women in 2019, which was too met with overwhelming critical acclaim.
3. Uncut Gems (Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, 2019)
With wild, frenzied electricity Josh and Benny Safdie present a New York bustling with fury and excitement in this 21st-century thriller masterpiece. Together with 2017s frenetic Good Time, the Safdie brothers have solidified themselves as icons of contemporary cinema.
Stalking the movements of Adam Sandler’s scatty Howard Ratner, a jeweller with mounting debts to pay as he risks his life and finances to stay afloat, Uncut Gems pierces the retinas with an adrenaline rush born from the streets of New York. An astonishing kinetic vitality fuels this romp around America’s busiest city, where directors Josh and Benny Safdie perfectly capture the city’s look and feel, all whilst sculpting characters that feel as if they’ve just walked off Diamond Jewelry Way. Adam Sandler is an eccentric American living on a constant knife-edge and loving every minute of it.
2. Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016)
For clarity, we consider the top three films in this list to be masterpieces in their own right, with A24 having produced and distributed a handful of the very finest films of modern times. Creating a coming-of-age film exploring themes of identity, sexuality and physical abuse in the youth of the Moonlight’s main character, Barry Jenkins’ masterpiece certainly ranks in the highest echelons of modern filmmaking.
Met by critical acclaim upon release, the project won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and, for Mahershala Ali, Best Supporting Actor—a victory which subsequently made him the first Muslim to win an Oscar for acting. Pioneering in every sense, Moonlight became the first film with an all-black cast, the first LGBTQ-related film to win Best Picture, and, while they’re breaking records, Joi McMillon became the first Black woman to be nominated for an editing Oscar.
However, eclipsing the bevvy of golden statuettes was Moonlight’s immoveable storytelling capabilities, chronicling a heartbreaking tale of love and psychological torment.
1. Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer, 2013)
A seminal piece of filmmaking, Jonathan Glazer’s strange cinematic journey is a cornerstone of contemporary cinema, merging inconceivable visuals to form a very human story from the point of view of a curious alien life form.
Part sci-fi drama, part experimental horror, Glazer’s Under the Skin is a marvel of terror and bewilderment. The film follows the apparent birth of a seductive alien, played by Scarlett Johansson, as she stalks the streets of Glasgow, searching for both prey and purpose.
What follows is a spellbinding audiovisual assault on the senses, a truly unique and inexplicably terrifying account of an alien invasion. This visually arresting masterpiece is an experience impossible to convey, inhabiting a space not unlike Johansson’s mystical lair in the film. A dark, cosmic, ethereal piece of cinema so good that it has instantly elevated both Jonathan Glazer and composer Mica Levi to the dizzying heights of cinematic acclaim.
